A sectional representation of an annular combustor, an “EV combustor” (EV=environmental), according to the prior art is reproduced in FIG. 3. The combustor 26, which is part of a gas turbine (not shown) and of which only the section lying above the turbine axis is reproduced, extends in the longitudinal direction along the turbine axis in the direction of flow (from right to left in FIG. 3). On the inlet side (right-hand side in FIG. 3), a number of burners 27 are distributed on a circular ring concentric to the turbine axis and in the present case are designed as “double-cone burners” according to EP 0321809. However, this is not absolutely necessary, and it goes without saying that the combustors discussed here may also be operated with other burner variants. The swirled fuel/air mixture discharging from the burners 27 burns, while forming a flame, in the primary zone 30 following the burners 27, and the hot gases produced discharge from the combustor 26 at a combustor outlet 31 and enter the downstream turbine part, where they expand while performing work. In order to protect the combustor walls 29 from the hot gases, special liner segments 28 are arranged and fastened on the inside of the combustor walls 29. The liner segments 28 are designed to be continuous in the axial direction and are therefore as long as the interior space of the combustor 26. This has the advantage that the number of parts and the length of the leaky gaps is minimal.
A disadvantage with the known configuration of the liner elements, however, is that the segments are comparatively long. This creates problems with regard to ease of manufacture and the mechanical integrity. These problems become even greater and possibly cannot be solved if correspondingly large combustors having very long liner segments are required for very large gas turbines.